Balu pass GNP

Today was an awesome day out in the pass with overcast skies and mild temperatures around -5°C at 2000m. The skiing was much better than expected above 1500m, with stable conditions on our test slope. The snowpack proved to be generally solid, though coverage remains low with some hidden obstacles (sharks, trees, rivers) beneath the surface. The up-tack was actually in good condition. However, below 1300-1500m, the descent quickly became challenging, with reduced snow coverage and more variable terrain. Overall, conditions were stable, making for a sick first day of the season.

Stable weather conditions with cool temperatures, minimal snowfall, and calm winds, which have maintained snowpack stability and limited new accumulation.

Snow Pit Test Date/Time: 12:00 PM Location: Balu pass 2000m elevation Weather: Overcast skies, -5°C, wind calm Slope: 20° HS: 110 cm Snowfall Intensity: S-1 Results: ECTx (no propagation) x 2 CTE8 (easy break) at 24 cm x 2 CMT16 (moderate break) at 36 cm CTH22 (hard resistant planar) at 55 cm x 2 Summary: Observations showed generally stable snowpack with no propagation in the ECT tests, though some layers were reactive in the CT at varying depths. This suggests limited slab cohesiveness across the test area, indicating a lower likelihood of larger slab avalanches under current conditions.